User blog:Kuri Sama/A Fox From The East

Prolouge
From the palace of the Fox Emperor came the whimpers of a vixen giving birth to her cubs. Her name was Kuzuko Kukitsune, and her mate, who was by her side licking her face to comfort her, was Kuroji Kukitsune. The mother and the father were both jet black, shining foxes, their pale eyes standing out in contrast to their black fur. Not one difference in coloration in their fur existed, they were the only of their kind, both of their families had always kept their line of pure black foxes true.

This family was the Lord of half of the far eastern country of Nippon. The Kukitsune family were the black shadow foxes, Lords of the south half of Nippon. The Shikitsune family were the white ghost foxes. Their family was pure white albino foxes, Lords of the north half of Nippon. Both families had traveled long to reach the grand palace of the great Fox Emperor, Kasai Giniro, the silver fox, to celebrate the coming of new cubs to the palace.



After a long labor, Kuzuko was mother of four black cubs. But, there was to be one more.

Out came another fox, though much to everybeast’s shock, what they saw was a perfectly orange and white fox, born into the Kukitsune family. Never before had something like this happened. The fox cub  was a female. She looked like an ordinary fox, orange all over with a darker color on her paws and on the tips of her ears. The tip of her tail and her underbelly was white. She was a perfect example of a fox, but she was supposed to be black-furred, like her everybeast in her family had ever been. But something was different about her, she wasn’t an ordinary fox… her eyes were piercing, they had a wild, untamed light to them.

“What are we to do with this one?” Kuroji whispered to the big white male fox of the Shikitsune family.

“We will have to go to Emperor Giniro-sama with this problem.” (“Sama” is an honorific title)



The next morning when Kuzuko had recovered and all had made themselves presentable to the Emperor, they entered the palace with much ceremony. The palacebeasts beat the drums as they walked through the large hall, where at the end, Kasai Giniro sat at his throne, his beautiful silver wife, Ame, at his right-paw. The only different coloration that they had from their shining silver fur, was the dye on the tips of their tails. Kasai, which meant fire, had dyed the tip of his tail to be a bright scarlet color, and Ame, which meant rain, dyed the tip of her tail to be light blue. This signified that they were the Emperor of all the land of Nippon, they even ruled over fire and rain, two wild elements.

Kuzuko, Kuroji, and the male and female Lords of Shikitsune family, Takeo and Akane, all carried a perfectly black cub each, presenting them to the Emperor. Once they stopped in front of the steps to his big seat, they bowed low to him. Then, Kuroji stepped forward.

“Great Emperor Kasai Giniro-sama, these are the new cubs of our family. Please bless them.” He said, lifting the babe in his hands up to the grand silver Emperor Fox. He came down from his throne and smiled at the black fox through pale eyes, then put his hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve done well, Kuroji Kukitsune.” Kasai said, lifting the cubs one by one up in his arms and blessing them. Then, he searched the unsure forms of the four foxes before him.

“There is one more, is there not?”

Their shifting eyes gave them away and they were forced to nod in agreement. They were all not sure how the Fox Emperor would react. He was a sly one, and he was cold and calm at all times, even if he were issuing a death sentence. They had all seen it before. Once, a palace cook that had accidentally served his fish wrong got sent off to his death, and Kasai kept a smile on his face as the unfortunate fox was dragged off screaming.

“Yes, Oh great one.” The vixen Akane finally said, breaking the silence. “There is one more. Please, do not be displeased.” She said, bowing her head and motioning to her side where a servant appeared from the silk curtains, presenting the tiny orange fox. Kasai looked at the cub, his expression puzzled.

“This is one of your cubs, Kuzuko Kukitsune?” He questioned.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yes, my lord. I do not know what happened.” Said she.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Emperor sat on his throne, thinking. His mate, Ame put her paw on his arm.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Remember that old grandmother fox that lives by the edge of the prefecture, the one that sometimes does not pay her due taxes? We can send it to her.” Said Ame with an unemotional smile. “She might need somebeast to work for her so that old hag can pay us what is due.” Kasai nodded in agreement.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yes… that is a worthy idea, Ame. That’s what we will do. You there, send this fox cub to…” The Emperor trailed off, not remembering the old fox’s name for a moment. “Ah, to Nao, at the edge of the prefecture.” He nodded his silver head and the servant scurried off with the fox babe.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Now, let us celebrate by eating botamochi!” (Botamochi is a traditional dessert made with sweet rice and red bean paste)

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Late, late that night, Nao the old vixen was slumbering fitfully when a paw knocked sharply on her fragile door.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Open up, ungrateful hag! You have a delivery from the Emperor himself!” Somebeast yelled with a grumpy voice as Nao woke with a start, grabbing a stick to defend herself if needed, and shuffled to the door.

<p class="MsoNormal">“What in the name of feathers and fur is all that ruckus for?” She challenged back, opening the door as she waved the stick under the fox’s nose. The fox messenger shoved the stick away.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Stow the twig, take this.” He said, pushing the fox cub towards Nao, and slamming the door behind him as he left without a good word.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nao took the babe, unwrapping it in the clothes made of rags while muttering to herself, then gasped as a pair of reddish eyes opened and looked into the old fox’s eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">“My, my. What is this for?” Nao said with a softer voice, her paw reaching for the tiny fox’s paw, and they gripped one-another, looking into each beast’s eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Beautiful princess fox…” She said, then translated the words into a name.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Miki Kitsune.”